Nut lock



K. vossLo 1,818,915

NUT LOCK Filed "June' 7, 1930 4 Wm j QIIIIIIMW g min";

Patented I Aug. 11, 1931 UNITED STATES;

KARL VOSSLOH, OF WERDOHL,

NUT LOCK Application filed June 7, 1930, Serial No.

The invention relates to a, nut lock consisting of a segment of 'a helical spring and more particularly'to a nut lock consisting of a segment of a helical spring the coils of which are bent out over the whole length of the diameter of the helical spring in such a way that each coil forms two arches curved in the same direction each of which comprises one half of a coil.

Nut locks of this type have already been made known. They afford the advantage that after the deflection determined by the helical form proper having been utilized an additional tension may be obtained by the arch-like curvature extending over the whole diameter of the coil with a comparatively long spring stroke and under uniform stress of the material of the spring.

The object of the invention consists in that the said additional tension, which exists after the spring deflection proper having been accomplished, is further increased by the fact that the spring stroke on which the additional tension is effective is also further increased. According to the invention this aim is arrived at by that the arched spring coils are elongated, e. g. elliptical. The coils having been shaped in this manner, the length and the height of the arch assuring the additional tension are substantially increased beyond the maximum attainable by a spring which is circular in the plan. The base of the arch which in a wellknown manner extends over the whole outside diameter of each spring coil may lie in any direction. According to the invention the base of the arch of the elongated spring coils however lies in the direction of the largest coil diameter, viz. in the direction of the principal axis of the ellipse with elliptical spring coils as this arrangement of the arch results in the largest possible spring stroke with a definite curvature of,the arch and a definite length of the coil.

The elongated, e. g. elliptical shape of the spring coils and more particularly the instance of execution in which the base of the arch lies in the direction of the maximum ccil diameter affords the advantage that with even a comparatively small degree 459,730, and in German June 13, 1929.

of curvature of the arch a substantial additional tension is secured on a long spring stroke which is the larger, the more the elongated shape of the spring coils differs from the circular one in the plan. of the fact that then only a comparatively slight curvature of the arches is necessary, the material of the spring is little and uniformly stressed so that the danger of fracture is eliminated, and notwithstanding a high additional tension is assured which 'is decreased but very slowly when the bearing surfaces to engage with the nut lock are being worn off. A further advantage of the elongated shape of the spring coils results from the fact that, according to the inven tion, the spring stroke may be chosen at will bly correspondingly extending the elongated s a e.

Iii order that the novel nut lock may be prevented from displacing across the shank of the bolt, the portions of the spring coils adjacent to the shank of the bolt are more curved, according to the invention, than would correspond to the normal shape with elongated spring coils. For this purpose e. g. both ends of the springcoils are bent out inwardly from the normal shape or portions of the longitudinal parts of the spring coils are curved outwardly so as to partly fit to the circumference of the bolt.

Theaccompanying drawings show several instances of execution of nut locks corresponding to the invention and in which the base of the arch of the oblong spring coils lies in the direction of the largest diameter of the coils In this drawing Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a double-coil nut lock the spring coils 1 and 2 of which are of approximately elliptical shape and arched in opposite directions;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the doublecoil nut lock' shown in Fig. 1;

Fig.3 is a side elevation of a double-coil nut lock of the type in which the ends 3 of the coils are bent out inwardly from the normal shape so as to fit the adjacent portions of the circumference of the bolt 4, shown in a cross section, for the purpose of preventing the nut lock from displacing;

On account Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the doublecoil nut lock shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is atop plan view of a double-coil nut lock which 1s prevented from longitudinal displacement by that portion 5 of the longitudinal parts of the spring coils 1 are curved in accordance with the adjacent portions of the screw-bolt 4 shown in a cross section;

Fig. 6 shows the side elevation of a onecoil nut lock shaped according to the invention as an ellipse in the plan and bent like an arch over the largest diameter 6;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the one-coil nut lock shown in Fig. 6.

What I claim is:

1. A nut lock, consisting of a segment of a helical spring representing an approximately elliptical form in the plan and comprising at least one convolution of the said helix, each coil of the said spring being bent out of the normal helical line so as to form two arches curved in the same direction, each arch comprising one half of the said coil and having a base of a length equal to the largest external diameter of the helix.

2. A nut lock, consisting of a segment of a helical spring representing in general an elliptical form in the plan and having portions of the coils bent out of the elliptical form so as to fit to portions of the circumference of the screw-bolt.

3. A nut lock, consisting of a segment of a helical spring representing in general an elliptical form in the plan and having the coils bent out of the normal helical line so as to form arches. the arches having their ends bent out of the elliptical form of the coils so as to fit to portions of the circum ference of the screw-bolt. I

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification at Cologne this 28th day of May 1930.

' KARL VOSSLOH. 

